4 N. Koreans on wooden boat cross maritime border in East Sea: militaryA wooden boat carrying four North Korean residents drifted into waters south of the Northern Limit Line, the de facto inter-Korean maritime border, in the East Sea last week, the military said Thursday. "The military detected a small North Korean wooden boat in waters some 100 kilometers east of Goseong in Gangwon Province on the morning of May 27," a Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) official said. The four residents have been transferred to a relevant institution for questioning, following the joint operation with the Coast Guard, the official said. All four North Koreans, who are believed to have likely crossed into South Korean waters accidentally, were known to have expressed their intent to return to the North. The latest case came about three months after the military discovered a wooden boat carrying two North Koreans in the Yellow Sea on March 7. Seoul has sought to repatriate the two North Koreans, who also expressed their wish to return to the North, to no avail as Pyongyang has not responded to any inter-Korean communications. South Korea's unification ministry, in charge of inter-KoJun 5, 2025By Yonhap
Military says damaged N. Korean destroyer now in upright positionSouth Korea's military said Thursday a North Korean warship that was partially capsized during a botched launch ceremony last month now stands straight, with restoration efforts under way. The 5,000-ton warship tipped over and became partially submerged in a launch ceremony held in the northeastern port city of Chongjin on May 21. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un slammed the accident as an intolerable "criminal act" and ordered for the warship to be restored before a key party meeting set for late June. "The North Korean warship inclined at the Chongjin port returned to an upright position earlier this week and additional (restoration) efforts are believed to be in progress," Col. Lee Sung-jun, spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), told a regular press briefing. "Both South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities are closely monitoring activities at the Chongjin port and the nearby area," Lee said, projecting the North to first drain out water from the warship to meet Kim's order. The JCS official did not elaborate on whether the North could meet the deadline set by Kim, sayiJun 5, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim vows to 'unconditionally' support Russia in war against UkraineNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has vowed to "unconditionally" support Russia over the war against Ukraine and "responsibly" observe the articles of a mutual defense treaty signed between Pyongyang and Moscow, the North's state media reported Thursday. Kim made the remarks during his meeting with Russia's Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu the previous day in Pyongyang, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Shoigu, Russia's top security official, arrived in North Korea on Wednesday, amid deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, highlighted by the North's troop dispatch to Russia to support the war against Ukraine. During the meeting, Kim affirmed that North Korea will "unconditionally support the stand of Russia and its foreign policies in all the crucial international political issues, including the Ukrainian issue," according to the KCNA. Kim also said his country will "responsibly observe the articles of the treaty" between the two nations, it reported, referring to the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty signed by him and Russian PresiJun 5, 2025By Yonhap
North Korea's state media reports on Lee's presidential win for the first timeNorth Korea's state media on Thursday reported on the outcome of South Korea's presidential election for the first time, saying that Lee Jae-myung was elected as South Korea's new leader. South Korea held the presidential election on June 3, two months after the former president was ousted over his martial law bid in December, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, referring to former President Yoon Suk Yeol. The KCNA briefly said Lee, a candidate from the Democratic Party of Korea, was elected as South Korea's president. The Rodong Sinmun, the North's main newspaper catering to domestic readers, also carried the related report, two days after the election was held. It marked the first time that North Korea has reported on South Korea's latest presidential election. The North has not mentioned the South Korean political situation following Yoon's ouster. In the past, North Korea's propaganda outlets issued criticism over South Korea's presidential elections and its politics. But North Korea appears to have refrained from commenting on the South's political situation after its leader KJun 5, 2025By Yonhap
Russia's security chief meets Kim Jong-un to discuss Ukraine, peninsula issuesRussia's Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang for discussions on Ukraine and security issues involving the Korean Peninsula, the Russian Embassy in North Korea said Wednesday. In a Facebook post, the embassy said the two sides discussed cooperation in various fields and exchanged views on the situation surrounding the Ukrainian crisis and the Korean Peninsula. Shoigu departed for home later in the day, it added. Russia's Ria Novosti also reported on Shoigu's meeting with Kim, citing the embassy's social media post. The Russian news agency TASS reported earlier that Shoigu traveled to the North on instructions from President Vladimir Putin. The visit came amid speculation that Kim may visit Russia for a summit with Putin to mark the first anniversary of their signing of a mutual defense treaty in June last year, which led to North Korea's deployment of thousands of troops on the Russian side in the war against Ukraine. Citing Russia's Security Council, Tass said that Kim and Shoigu are expected to discuss the implementation of the coJun 4, 2025By Yonhap
North Korea pulls capsized warship upright after botched launch, report saysSEOUL — North Korea appears to have returned to an upright position its stricken Choe Hyun Class destroyer that partially capsized during a botched launching ceremony, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday. Leader Kim Jong-un, who witnessed the failed launch of the 5,000-tonne warship, said the accident damaged the country's dignity and vowed to punish those found responsible. Commercial satellite imagery from June 2 showed the destroyer upright for the first time since the May 21 accident, the 38 North programme, which studies the nuclear-armed North, said in a report. Since the accident, North Korea has said it detained several officials, and Kim ordered the ship restored before a ruling party meeting this month. "Commercial satellite imagery shows workers at the port in Chongjin have taken a significant step towards that goal," 38 North said in its report. Workers were observed pulling tethers, and possibly using barrage balloons, in a manual effort to right the ship, it added. The imagery shows the vessel's bow still on land, with possible damage to its sonar section. "To repair this, tJun 4, 2025By Reuters
Russia's security chief arrives in Pyongyang for meeting with Kim Jong-un: reportRussia's Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu arrived in Pyongyang to hold a meeting with leader Kim Jong-un, a Russian news report said Wednesday. Shoigu traveled to the North on instructions from President Vladimir Putin and is scheduled to meet with Kim, the Russian news agency TASS reported. The visit came amid speculation that Kim may visit Russia for a summit with Putin to mark the first anniversary of their signing of a mutual defense treaty in June last year, which led to North Korea's deployment of thousands of troops on the Russian side in the war against Ukraine.Jun 4, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korean leader Kim Jong-un calls new hospital construction 'great revolution'North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has hailed the construction of a new hospital as a "great revolution" in the country's public health care system, state media reported Tuesday. The comment came during his inspection of a hospital complex under construction in Kangdong County, located on the northeastern outskirts of Pyongyang, on Monday, according to the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). "The work of building modern public health facilities in cities and counties across the country is a great revolution for developing public healthcare, which has lagged behind other sectors, to surpass them within ten years," the KCNA quoted Kim as saying. During the visit, Kim toured various sections of the facility, including the outpatient ward, operating theater, inpatient ward and underground parking area. He was accompanied by senior officials of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, including Kim Tok-hun, Kim Jae-ryong and O Su-yong, according to the KCNA report. The North Korean leader emphasized the importance of advancing medical equipment and strengthening the country'sJun 3, 2025By Yonhap
Pyongyang slams monitoring group's report on North Korea-Russia military cooperationNorth Korea on Monday denounced a monitoring group on the enforcement of U.N. sanctions against Pyongyang for issuing a report on military cooperation between the North and Russia, calling the move a violation of a state's sovereign rights. The Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) on Thursday issued the first report detailing illegal military cooperation carried out between North Korea and Russia in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions against Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs. The chief of the external policy office at North Korea's foreign ministry said the MSMT committed a "political provocation" by fabricating a report taking issue with cooperative ties between the North and Russia, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Calling the MSMT a "bogus group which has no legality in terms of existence and purpose," the official said the report is a "wanton" violation of international legal principles centering on sovereignty equality and non-interference in others' internal affairs. "We give stern warning against the negative consequences to be entailJun 2, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea holds events marking Int'l Children's DayNorth Korea has held events to mark International Children's Day, attended by foreign diplomats stationed in Pyongyang, state media reported Monday, highlighting what appears to be an image of a normal state. North Korea held various events for children, including those with disability, the previous day to mark the 75th anniversary of International Children's Day, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). North Korea, China and other countries sharing socialist values have marked June 1 as International Children's Day, instead of May 5. A celebrative event was held in Pyongyang to mark the 75th anniversary, attended by diplomats stationed in Pyongyang and overseas compatriots, according to the KCNA. North Korea is a signatory to the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, but it has been facing international criticism over inhumane treatment of children. North Korea appears to have used the recent celebrative events for children in a bid to project itself as a normal state in the face of the international community's call for improving its human rights, experts said.Jun 2, 2025By Yonhap
